Darkness into Light
by ThunderOfPoseidon
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin never stops causing his wife grief, and she has long since lost interest in her cowardly husband. But Milah's life changes as she sees an escape route in a handsome young pirate who catches both her eye and her fancy. (Rated T for future chapters)
1. Chapter 1

**So, here it is. Chapter one of my first Fanfic. Give me tips! Constructive criticism is welcomed. :) And I would love encouragement. :) So. Yes? No? Tell me what you think! I would love to hear feedback. Though I must tell you, I have done a horrible thing and went ahead and wrote a steamy scene that will be in a future chapter, and now everything else seems utterly boring. Just so you all can look forward to that. :)**

I was at my wit's end. Rumpelstiltskin was a fool. I had been a fool for marrying him. I mean, what had I been thinking all those years ago? Marrying the son of the town coward?! I should have known better. I should have known what my precious Rumpel would turn into. A coward himself.

Not only had he run from the Ogre wars, but he had injured himself to do it, claiming that it was so that our son would have a father.

But I tell myself that his father died when Rumpel crushed his own damn foot.

He died to me.

And now, here I was, living in such boredom I could cry. The only lively part of my life was when I could find the time to sneak off to the tavern. There were always some good stories to be listened to there. My refuge was behind a tall mug of ale, until my husband would always come and find me, sometimes paying Smithy on the way out, but sometimes he would be too infuriated to remember.

In those cases, Smithy would wink and shake his head, saying, "Don't you worry, lass."

Then Rumpel would lash into the endless "What about your family?" speech, and I would roll my eyes, and remember that Baelfire was at home, probably waiting to be nursed or washes, or, when he was older, served supper.

The thought of my son always seemed to bring me back to my own sad world. But Bae was another spot in my life that brought me joy. The only reason he wasn't the only joy in my life was because he reminded me of what Rumpel and I used to share.

And I couldn't bear the thought of it.

But here I was, day, after dull day, waiting for something to happen in my life that would change it into something that I could look forward to waking up to.

And then it happened.

I winced as I looked down in to the black kettle of pasty white gruel that was on the menu for supper. Again. Lifting the wooden spoon to my lips, I prayed to my lucky stars that it would taste different than it usually did, but it was no use.

As I slammed the spoon back into the kettle, I jumped with surprise when I felt a pair of hands encircle my waist. Once I felt his breath on my neck, I turned and thrust my palm into the man's chest until he released me, taking a few steps away.

"Don't you touch me, Rumpelstiltskin." I said with narrow eyes, then turned back to stirring the gruel.

"Milah, I-"

"Where have you been?" I asked, not giving him the chance to finish, and not turning around either. "Bae has been asking after you ever since he woke this morning."

My husband cocked his head and quietly asked, "Is Baelfire the only one who misses me when I'm gone?"

I tossed my braid over my shoulder and turned to face him when I answered, "It would seem so, wouldn't it?"

Rumpelstiltskin's brown eyes shone with hurt.

I pretended not to notice. "Why don't you take your son and go find some mushrooms, or anything to make this gruel taste edible? Anything at all would cheer it up a bit." I suggested.

Just get out of here.

He matched my gaze until I raised my eyebrows, and he nodded. "Okay, Milah." He turned, carefully limping around my mending basket and Baelfire's wooden blocks, and made his way to the open door. Turning back to the pot so he wouldn't see me watching him, I heard Rumpelstiltskin call out for Bae, who delightedly left the village children to fall into step with his father.

I could imagine what was happening now, Rumpel would be putting his arm around the young boy's shoulders, and would be slowly making their way along the path and into the woods together.

As soon as I was sure my husband and son had gone, I slipped out of the house, feeling a twinge of guilty conscience. But I quickly forgot about that as I skipped through the bustling town, men and women walking around, the street full of busy chatter. When I was here, I wasn't the wife of the town coward. Rumpelstiltskin wasn't pinning me down here. No one was holding me back from… anything.

I entered the tavern, and Smithy came to the counter, drying a mug. "Haven't seen you in a while, Milah."

I shook my head, "There's a reason I don't come often."

He nodded, "How's the little one?"

"He's the reason. Sometimes I worry that he's too attached to his father." I sighed.

"Surly you wouldn't deny him that."

I gave a terse nod. "I'm sure you'd like to talk, but I didn't come to be scolded."

"No, of course you didn't." He filled the mug, and I took it, thanking him.

The mug was filled to the brim, and I took a sip of it before finding a place to sit. The strong ale sent a tingling feeling down my throat, and I smiled with satisfaction. The tavern was unusually full of people, which was always a good thing for those of us who came for the stories. I looked for a familiar face or two, though when I saw none, I didn't mind.

Taking a seat next to the noisiest table, I settled in.

The table next to me was filled with rowdy men, each one hurling insults at the others, and laughing and drinking. The group wouldn't have even caught my eye except that they were obviously from far away. Nether their accents nor their cloths resembled anything that I'd ever seen, though they acted like every other group of sailors that make a habit of frequenting the tavern.

As if to prove my point, one of the men stood up to corner one of Smithy's serving girls.

"Come along, Smee. You have enough lasses ignoring the young men who really care about them because they're waiting for you to return to them."

I focused on the man who had spoken. He sat at the head of the table, his chair leaning on two legs, his feet up, and his long leather coat draped over the chair like a tablecloth. All the rest of the men seemed to listen to him when he spoke, and they each also seemed to revere him.

"But just why they like your ugly face, I'll never understand."

The rest of the men laughed, and the man standing up, presumably Smee, turned almost as beet red as his hat.

I smiled, almost amused by the goings on, though when the man who seemed to be the leader looked my way, I turned my eyes back to my ale.

I listened to the men carry on, until I could see the bottom of my mug and decided to go before Rumpelstiltskin became infuriated. Again.

On my way out, I tossed Smithy a silver coin and said, "Tell your wife I said she got a jolly good man." In other words, I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier.

He nodded, eyes twinkling, "You come on back whenever you find the time."

"You know I will."

I hurried out the door and down the road, wondering how long my husband and Bae would have been home without me. Rumpel would know where I was, but Baelfire would think only that I was doing something that needed to be done. His innocence very nearly sickened me.

It was during this train of thought, that I felt a tap on my shoulder, and heard a soft, foreign voice say, "Excuse me."

I turned.

It was the man who had been sitting with his feet up at the table.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I couldn't help but notice that you dropped this on your way out." The man held up a brown ribbon – my brown hair ribbon.

My hair had fallen out of its braid and into my face, but I hadn't noticed. I took it from him with a nod, "Thank you for returning it to me."

He bowed his head, and then looked back up at me, brown eyes smiling.

"Good day, " I said, turning to go.

"Wait," his voice stopped me. "Do you have a name?"

I faced him, "Most people do."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"It's Milah."

"Milah. Just Milah?"

I nodded. "Just Milah."

He paused, looking at me for a minute, and said, "Well, good day, Milah."

"Good day sir." I turned, knowing that a smile was threatening to surface on my face.

And as I turned from the glittering eyes of the handsome young man, I suddenly met the eyes of another man.

"Milah," Rumpelstiltskin murmured. "does he know about me?"

I stiffened, walking towards him. "He doesn't know anything."

"He looked like he would like to."

I was past him now, Rumpel still standing in the middle of the road where he had appeared. "Where's Bae?"

"Waiting for his mother."

I clenched my jaw. "Get out of the middle of the road unless you want to be flattened by someone's spooked horse."

And it was in this cheerful mood that Rumpelstiltskin and I made our way back to our humble hovel.

"Mamma!" Bae rushed out of the opened door as soon as he saw the two of us walking up the lane towards the house. He grabbed my hand and started pulling towards to door. "Mamma, the gruel is smoking!"

Damn.

How could I forget about that?

I avoided Rumpelstiltskin's gaze as I rushed into the house with Baelfire.

To my surprise, I saw the big black kettle in the middle of our dirt floor.

"I took it off the fire, Mamma."

I kneeled in front of my son, "Bae, you are such a good boy." Hugging his head, I looked over his shoulder at Rumpelstiltskin. "Such a brave boy."

Rumpel rubbed his face and turned to close the door.

I stepped up to stir the gruel, a bit thicker than usual, but saved from being inedible by my son.

"Bae," Rumpel said, "Why don't you go and wash the mushroom in the stream before we eat them."

"Yes Papa." The boy said, as submissive as can be, and grabbed a basket that was filled with fresh mushrooms, before heading out the door once again.

I stood up and faced my husband, knowing what was coming.

"What?" He asked, when I stood staring at him.

"Go ahead."

"What?" he asked again.

I sighed. "You sent Bae out of the house, Rumpel."

He nodded. "Milah, I just want to ask you to think hard about the things you do. Before you do them."

"Oh, because that's what you do?"

"No." Rumpel shook his head. "Because there are some days that I can't live with the shame of not thinking."

I turned away. "If one of us were to reprimand the other for our actions, I think it should be the other way around."

I could feel Rumpel's eyes. "Haven't I paid for my decisions enough? When will you stop punishing me for a lapse in judgment?"

My voice hardened. "You know the answer, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Do I?"

"I will never stop blaming you for the shame you've put on this house. On my son. On me."

"You don't want to live again as we once did?" He asked.

Unbelievable.

"You mean when we didn't have a care in the world? We were going to have adventures, Rumpel. We were going to live life to the fullest." I turned back to him, almost shouting as I said, "But you ruined that for me. For all of us. You've changed it forever."

"Forever is a long time."

I nodded. "Yes it is."

"Why do you want to live like this forever?"

"I don't."

The door squeaked open, and Rumpel's mouth snapped shut from the response that he was obviously about to shoot back.

We ate a quiet supper together, Baelfire looking between his father and I, probably wondering what the tension was about this time.

To be perfectly, painfully, honest, the only fun I could find in this life was poking at Rumpelstiltskin.

But something bigger had happened than I realized.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the views and the follows! :) I've so enjoyed writing these. Next chapter up within the week, I promise. Review and favorite! P.S. What did everyone think of last night's episode? Poor Hook? Poor Neil? Poor Charming? I mean, WUDDUP? :)**

Usually I let four or five days pass between trips to the tavern, but I was so exasperated by both myself and my husband, that I ended up going the very next day. Rumpelstiltskin was out, presumably looking for some sort of work, and Baelfire was playing with the children of the village.

So I headed out of the house, and took the familiar walk to the tavern, and burst through the door. As soon as I saw a large red cap, I smiled. So the captain and his crew were still here after all.

I didn't realize that I would be happy about that until I saw that it was true, and, while it alarmed me, I savored the feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Back so soon?" Smithy asked, looking as if he hadn't moved from that spot since yesterday.

"You said I could come anytime I pleased, didn't you?" I smiled. "And if I'm going to come more often, I'm also going to notice that you wear the same shirt every day, Smithy."

He looked down. "It's one of the few that I really like."

I laughed, "Don't you worry. I won't tell your wife."

Smithy winked at me, "Well, then your ale today is on the house."

I didn't hear Smithy, as I was too consumed in the fact that there stood the handsome stranger from yesterday. And he was looking towards me.

"Milah, you're a naughty girl." I whispered to myself.

The man walked over, taking his time as he did so. "Well, look who came back."

I lifted my chin. "Who's to say I don't usually come every day?"

He nodded towards Smithy. "He did."

I spun on my heels. "Smithy, have you been talking about me to strangers again?"

He smiled sheepishly and handed me a mug, filled to the brim. "I didn't figure you'd mind."

I took the mug and pushed past the man, finding a seat at the table.

I wasn't truly upset with the stranger, and I hoped he could tell as much, and also that I had conveniently chosen a seat with a vacant spot next to it.

To my delight, he noticed.

I saw facing the table, and he sat down on the bench next to me, his back to the table.

"Milah." He said. The man said it as if he were tasting the word, rolling it around in his mouth, over his tongue, and finally smiling, as if it tasted good to say.

I willed myself not to smile or give into giggles. "I don't believe I caught your name."

"No." He said, looking down and rubbing at a spot on his coat. "I don't believe you did."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"You know my name. You should return the favor."

He looked at me, a smile in his eyes again. "Jones. Unlike you, I have a last name. Killian Jones."

"Killian Jones." I said.

"Yes."

"Well, Killian Jones." I asked, "Where are you from?"

"What makes you think I'm from anywhere different than you?"

I raised my eyebrows, "Because I haven't seen you before." Lifting my mug and taking a gulp, I added, "And because of your clothes and accent."

He laughed at that. "You know, many a lady from where I come from would look at your clothes and think them strange as well."

"Oh?"

Killian nodded.

"So are there many? Young lasses, I mean." I couldn't help myself. "From where you come from?"

There was a pause before he quickly ignored my question and said, "Milah, I can't stay for long, my crew is waiting for me. But what would you say to meeting here later tonight?"

I looked down, and stared hard into my ale. It sounded like something I desperately wanted to agree to. I surely was a naughty girl.

"How do I know you don't already… how did you say it? You might already have enough lasses ignoring the young men who really care about them because they're waiting for you to return to them"

He raised his brows. "I had a feeling you were eavesdropping."

It was my turn to raise my eyebrows. "Well, you were right." I paused, "And you didn't answer my question."

A half a smile found its way to his face, and he almost chuckled when he shook his head and said, "I suppose you don't know that it's not so. But if you can take my word as truth, I'll tell you that there's no one."

He was lying. No doubt. I bit my cheek and told myself that he was a sailor, for goodness sake. He was a sailor, and probably had lovers on every shore.

And anyway, if the lasses could fall for his pudgy friend, surely this man, who was many times more handsome, had them flocking around him by the dozen.

But then there was that look in his eye that told me he was telling the truth.

And then there was that feeling inside of me that reminded me that I couldn't care less if this man had all the girls in the world. That I was a married woman. And it frightened me how easily I had forgotten that.

"I-" I started.

"Sh. Don't say no now." Killian said, interrupting me.

"I need to –" Again, I started, stuttering.

"You need to get back to your husband. I understand." He nodded, rubbing a hand on his unshaven chin. "And I need to get back to my crew." There was an exhilaratingly naughty look in his eyes. "I'll see you tonight, Milah."

"Why do you think I'll be back?'

I shivered when he looked me straight in the eye and raised his chin, "Because you're curious. And if you're as curious as I think you are, you'll be back without a second thought."

I sat still, suddenly looking down into my half-full mug, and then I looked up when I felt his weight shift against my leg, and he got up. When I turned toward the door, I only caught sight of black leather tail-flaps from his coat, and I shook my head. So many thoughts… so many feelings were running through me.

How had he known that I was married? And yet he was still asking me to meet him?

He could tell I was curious. More curious than I should be. Damn my curiosity. As hard as I tried to tell myself that I wouldn't be coming back later this evening, I knew I would be.

That is, if I could get away.

No, I knew I would find a way, if it were humanly possible.

He was right.

I was curious.

I was too curious.

Getting up, I left my mug on the table behind me, annoyed that I was so obviously an open book for men to read. But as annoyed as I was, I felt that something had sparked when the man had asked me back.

Killian Jones.

Killian Jones. The man who was brave enough to approach me.

And I smiled, and finally, at long last, I felt almost content. Almost. But I knew that sometime before this evening, I wouldn't be so content with just a smile and a name. Which is exactly what dragged me back to the tavern within five hours of leaving it.


	3. Chapter 3

**New chapter! Don't hesitate to review or favorite... critique is welcome. But seriously, what do you guys want to see? Here we go again...**

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Getting away wasn't easy, but I managed to conger up something to keep my husband busy. That is, only busy enough to keep him from wondering where I was off to.

So I was off, skirting my way through the street, and avoiding anyone's eyes in the darkness. In the light of the dusk, I found the tavern, which was lit up by candles in the windows, and pushed the squeaky door open.

I supposed this was not a busy time of day, because all of the proper wives were at home cleaning up their supper, and all the husbands were probably sitting by the fire with two or three children on his knees. But, despite my assumptions, the tavern had a fair amount of customers, all drinking and laughing, and talking with one another.

Quickly scanning the crowd, I saw that the man I was waiting for hadn't arrived just yet. So I took a seat at an empty table in the corner. I didn't tap the counter or ask Smithy for a mug, because I decided that one mug of the strong ale was enough for me for one day.

I sat there for quite a while, enjoying the business of the tavern, and watching the few drunken men stumble around and out the door. I chuckled to myself as I watched wives come in and shoe their husbands out, and the place was quickly emptying.

As soon as I began to wonder if I should start heading home, a handsome silhouette appeared at the door. I quickly turned away so he wouldn't know I had been watching for him.

With my back to the door and to the counter, I tried to hear footsteps or conversation, but I couldn't until I felt hot breath on my neck.

"Waiting for me, sweetheart?"

I jumped and spun around, startled. When I did, I found myself staring at the chiseled features and slight stubble, set back in his oceans of eyes.

Killian laughed, straightening up. "You shouldn't look so surprised."

I shook my head. "And you shouldn't frighten other people."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Killian walked around the table and took the seat across from me, casually putting his feet up on the bench beside me. "But darling, frightening other people is kind of what I do."

I pushed his feet off of the bench. "Is that so?"

"I'm afraid it is." He lifted his feet to their place on the bench again. "And now that we're fixing each other's character flaws, you shouldn't act so annoyed to see me."

"Why is that?" I asked, feeling both annoyed and flattered at the same time. Okay, mostly flattered.

"Because you," he leaned forward and pointed to me, "are here." He pointed at the table, as if trying to prove his point.

I sighed, and then quickly changed the subject. "So tell me, how did you know I was married? And why isn't that stopping you from…"

"From what?" He raised his eyebrows. A gesture that I was already familiar with seeing from him.

"How did you know I was married?"

"You're not the only one who eavesdrops, dear." He chuckled, "You think I wouldn't notice that man standing in the lane behind you yesterday? Oh, he had such longing in his eyes. Such passion. And such hurt. Darling, I just couldn't resist the temptation of having a little listen."

I shook my head and tried to remember what had been said between my husband and I. And I prayed that it wasn't anything too weak sounding or vulnerable.

"So when I heard you talking, I said to myself, 'Well, Jones,' I said, 'such a strong woman. Such a brave and beautifully daring lass.' And, Milah, I've tried to get you out of my head."

"But…?" I edged him on, biting my lip.

"But I couldn't." His voice had lowered, which gave me the feeling he wasn't quite the type who often made a tender side known. But somehow he was showing that tender side of himself to me. Somehow.

Still biting my lip, I wondered aloud. "But why –"

"Why?" Killian looked up, surprised, "Such a woman shouldn't be with a man she detests. She deserves someone she can admire. She needs someone who could show her how to love. How to love and what it's like to be loved."

It was my turn to look up with surprise. "And what makes you think I want your help."

To that, the sides of Killian's mouth raised in a grin. "Well, darling, you came back, didn't you?"

I looked away. I suppose he was right. I had come back. Why on earth had I come back?

I quickly stood, suddenly aware that both my heart and my thoughts were headed to places I didn't want them. "I need to go."

He sat back. "Do you?"

"Yes." I gathered my cloak.

"Mind telling me what the rush is?"

I fingered my cloak, fumbling with the ribbons under my chin with my unusually clumsy fingers. "I just have to go."

"What's his name?" Killian asked softly.

I stiffened. "Who's name?"

He eyed me for a second. "Your son."

I shifted from foot to foot. "A question for a question." I said slyly.

Killian paused, and the rolled his eyes. "Damn it. Deal."

To this I grinned. "His name is Baelfire."

"Baelfire." He said, again rolling the name around on his tongue as he did so. "Okay, you're turn."

"Who are you?"

Killian grinned. "I got the better end of the deal, love. I do believe I already told you. I'm Killian Jones."

"I already knew that, stupid. I mean, who are you really? Where did you come from? What are you running from?"

"I believe that comes to three questions. But if you want them answered, sit back down."

I hesitated slightly before sitting down, just so he would know that he didn't have me wrapped all the way around his finger. Just yet, that is. "Okay. Shoot."

He sighed. "I _am_ Killian Jones. But what you do know is I'm the captain of my ship and the crew you saw yesterday."

"How did you get your ship?" I didn't mean for this to sound like an interrogation, but I was curious. Very curious. And part of me asked the other part of me why I was so curious about this stranger. Besides the fact that he was dark, mysterious, foreign, and devilishly handsome.

"How did I get my ship?" He asked, and then laughed while remembering. "Well, you see, love. It wasn't through any honest ways. That I can tell you."

I narrowed my eyes. "So… you stole it?"

He shrugged, "That's one way to look at it."

"That's not how you look at it?"

Killian shook his head. "Not in the least. My kingdom took something from me. So I took something from them. And eye for an eye."

"Your – your kingdom?!" I stood up quickly. "So you're on the run."

He smiled to that. "That's also true depending on how you look at it."

"You're a pirate."

"As far as I know, that's pretty clear, love."

I sat back down.

"So now you know. And are you afraid?" He asked, the tone of his voice almost issuing it as a challenge.

"If I were, would I still be sitting here?"

"Most nice girls run."

"I don't recall describing myself as a nice girl."

"No, you're right." He looked me in the eye, and shook his head sincerely. "I don't think you're a nice girl at all." I would have been annoyed, but he said the words with a tone of voice that suggested this was a huge compliment, coming from him.

I raised my eyebrows in the most non-annoyed way that I could, and stood up for the third time since our meeting. "I may not be a nice girl, but I'm not completely ignorant of my motherly duties."

He nodded. "I can't deny you that."

"Oh, the pirate has feeling in his heart."

Killian said, "Stereotypes." Shaking his head.

I shook my own head, halfway amused, but looked up as he stood and walked around to my side of the table.

"Milah," He said, softly, stepping forward and forward again, "Milah, I hope you know that I am capable of feeling."

I bit my lip, my feet frozen to their spot on the ground. "I do know that." I whispered, though I couldn't think of anything except for the fact that this handsome pirate was getting closer and closer to me. I stepped back, and felt my back press against the wall, forcing me to stand still.

He was so close that I could feel warm breath caressing my face. "Do you know that?"

I nodded slowly. "I do-"

Killian interrupted. "Milah. Because I feel something that I've never felt before. I've never been so drawn to someone. Never in my dreams did I think I was capable. But Milah, you make me feel different than anyone else. You make me know that I am capable of anything I set my mind to. And Milah…"

He smelled musty, but in a pleasant way, and when my eyes traveled from his face to his chest, he gently tipped my chin up to look at him. As soon as I met his eyes, the pirate dipped his head down to close the space between us.

Killian's hand encircled my waist, pulling me closer to him, and once our bodies came together like two pieces of a puzzle, I felt his hands run up and down my back. Before I knew it, my fingers were curled in his soft, dark hair, and I clutched at his jacket with my other hand.

I honestly have no idea how long we would have stood like that, but I pulled away for air, and once I did, I felt my eyes widen with realization.

I had just let a stranger kiss me.

And I had kissed him back.

I let go of his hair, and pushed the man to arms length, which pried his hands off my waist. After I looked him straight in the eyes for a long while, I turned to go, knowing he would stop me.

It took me until I had a foot out the door, but then he called out in the near-empty room, like I knew he would. "Milah, will I see you again?"

Without turning around, I answered, "Perhaps you will."

I could almost feel him smiling to himself and repeating me, "Perhaps I will, darling. Perhaps I will."

The warm feeling that grew in my stomach didn't last for long before I was blasted by the cold wind, and the cold stare of Rumpelstiltskin as I walked up the way to the house. Again.

"Well?" He asked, his voice hard and accusing.

"Well what?" I brushed past him briskly (again) and skipped the rest of the way to the house.

"Bae is in bed." Rumpel told me.

"I assumed as much." I replied shortly.

"Oh, I see. So that's why you were off gallivanting with another man. Because you assumed your own son was in bed."

I said nothing.

Once we got to the house, we both remained quiet for Baelfire's sake, but I could feel Rumpelstiltskin's anger radiating off of him like I had never felt before.

But as I laid in bed, my mind drifted away from my husband and my son, and memories of the pirate and his kiss took their place. Despite myself, I replayed the scene over and over in my mind, remembering how his mouth covered my own, his warm, firm lips, his strong hold on my waist, his body practically trembling with desire, and how both our bodies had fit together like that's what they were always meant to do. I remembered that he tasted slightly of rum, and that I hardly minded his musty scent when he was so near that I was lost in it. And I felt heat rising up my cheeks when I remembered the look in his eyes when I pulled away.

He had had an almost wild look settled in his eyes. His eyes looked as if there was but only one thing that he wanted in the world.

That thing was me.

And damned if I didn't want him too.


	4. Chapter 4

**DUDE. It's been soooo long since I've updated! So sorry! Been super busy with stuff... Anyway, here it is! A relatively short chapter, but hopefully it will be worth it. As always, R&R! Here we go...**

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This time when I saw the long black leather coat, I didn't shy away. I had my mind made up.

No other man had been so stuck in my head as this man had been for the past four days, and I decided that I would be a fool to let him get away from me. Rumpelstiltskin had made it his business to keep a close watch on me, and had gotten in the habit of getting Baelfire to follow me around, but even so, I hadn't been able to get my mysterious Killian Jones out of my mind. I swear that kiss had gotten him infested in my thoughts, and had toyed with my emotions more than it should have.

Not that I really minded.

But it was four days later when I finally found the opportunity to leave the house and go to the tavern. So when I saw that Killian wasn't there, I looked everywhere I could think of, and I finally spotted him at the far side of the docks.

I tried to keep myself from running to him, but before I could stop myself I was calling out, "Killian!" And grabbing my skirts up, and running to the man, who turned with a surprised look on his face.

"Milah!" He said, a smile in his voice and in his eyes.

Killian caught me up in his arms when I got to him, and I shrieked with laughter when he spun me around and around.

He set me down after those glorious moments, and held me at arm's length as I drank in the sight of him. "Milah, I thought-"

"And I thought-"

"Well, Smithy said-"

"And I haven't been able to get you out of my head."

Killian stopped still after that statement, and his blue eyes danced with laughter. "I thought you wouldn't want to see me again. And Milah, I was desperately hoping you would come back, but when you didn't – Well, I assumed the worst."

"I couldn't find a chance to get away." I said. "Rumpel – My husband, that is – set his most valuable weapon on me."

"And what's that?" Killian said with a chuckle.

"My son."

He sobered. "Milah, would you tell me about him? I'd like to meet him someday."

I looked up. "You would?"

Killian nodded. "Anyone who is this precious to you. I want to meet them all."

"Bae is the only person I have."

The man slung his arm over my shoulder, and we walked slowly through the docks. "Well, now, that's not true anymore, love."

I bit my lip, and gave a small smile. "I'm glad."

He nodded. "There, see? I had no one before you either. So we're even now."

"Are we?" I turned to him, his arm falling off my shoulder. "Are we, Killian?" I asked, and I could feel tears forming. "Because, Killian, I am a married woman. Whether I like it or not, I am." The tears fell. "I don't want to be; I mean, my husband, oh Killian, he's been dead to me since he deserted the king and his army because of his cowardice."

"I won't say I understand. Because that's not true. I don't understand." Killian enfolded me in the strong arms that I could only dream about for the past few days. "But I _will _stand by you. Milah, darling," his voice barely rose above a whisper, "I will stand by you and you can look to me for help of comfort or whatever it is that your heart longs for."

I clutched his shirt and looked up at him, fiercely wiping the tears from my face. "But why?"

He smiled softly at that. "Because you're what my heart longs for. Milah, I've known that my heart longs for you for as long as I've know you. Ever since I saw you, Milah, I've known. I believe it's fate that brought us together, and I'm going to keep telling you that until you believe it for yourself."

I looked up at him in amazement. "But, Killian, my husband…."

"Everyone makes a mistake or two in their life, Milah. I swear, you made a damn big one." That was his attempt at making me laugh, and it almost worked. "But, darling, I wouldn't be any kind of man if I didn't realize that."

I was speechless. I swallowed, and then I pulled him down boldly and kissed him hard. I felt his lips curling into a smile as he kissed me back, and I knew people were staring – who wouldn't? Killian leaned into me and deepened our kiss, instinctively putting his hands to my waist and pulling me closer and closer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and then unwrapped them so that I could grasp his collar with both hands and pull him even closer.

I could hear the town gossips now.

But as I heard the voices in my head, I couldn't care less. Because this man, this strong, handsome, caring, gentle, mysterious, loving, man was in my arms, kissing me like no one had ever kissed me, and he wanted me. He _wanted me._

I was dizzy by the time I caught a breath, and Killian was as breathless as I was.

He grinned, rubbing his unshaven face, and said, "That was the better then a thank you note, that's for sure."

I smiled back at him. I felt like anything could make me smile today. "I hope so." Then I reached up to fasten his top two buttons, which had come undone a few moment earlier.

Oh yes, I could already hear people talking.

Because how could they miss such a handsome stranger lip locked with a girl who no one ever paid any mind to these days because she always stayed either in her house or the tavern for the shame of her cowardly husband.

Yes. I could hear the talk already.

Somehow, I didn't find it in my heart to care just now.

After that, I went out to find my pirate every time I found a chance to do so. He wasn't hard to find, and even if he was, the whole town soon knew that I was always looking for him, so someone would jerk a thumb in a direction when I approached them.

I would always thank them, and they would always get on with their business, and then I would find Killian who would greet me with a smile and a kiss, and sometimes more.

Soon I was living for our time together, and even when I would talk to or interact with Rumpel or Baelfire, I was replaying past conversations in my mind.

When I was with Killian Jones and in his arms, I never thought about anything back home, but when I was home, the only thing I thought about was my pirate and how we felt for each other.

The only thing I was sure about was how we felt for each other. When Killian would tell me how he loved me, I could see it in his eyes, his beautiful eyes, I could hear it in his voice, and I could see that his body was aching for me. And soon, I began to feel love growing inside of me for this man.

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**-ToP**


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